Canada



1,669,004 J. J. GRANT i ROCK DRILLING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet] INVENTOR c/of//v c/AMES GRA/vr BY f ATTORNEYS May 8, 1928.

May 8,l 1928. 1,669,004

J. J. GRANT I ROCK DRILLING MACHINE Filed March 2. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 my? N 4&Xw

/NvENTon JOHN JAMES GRANT BY MMM ATTORNEYS May 8, 1928.

J. J. GRANT ROCK DRILLING MACHINE Filed March 2. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 vvE/vroR JOHN JAMES GRANT ATTORNEYS the end of its stroke.

Patented May 8, 1928.

UNITED s'lupmilsg PATENT ori-"ica,-

JonN JAMES GRANT, or VANCOUVER, BRITISH CCLMBIA, CANADA.

BooK-Dalmine MACHINE.

\ Application med March 2, 1927. seriai No. 172,162.

ferred to in my subsequent application tor patent filed December 20th,. 1926,v under Serial Number 156,014, to Hoa-ting tensional devices in conjunction with whichl the pres'- cnt machine is tobe used.

The objects of the invention 'are to provide means whereby the machine isuw'eighted eoncentrically so that the reactions imposed upon thel machine when reciprocating its rods will be in align-ment with the reciprocatory movement and to provide a resilient suspension for the machine. Other objects are to provide an insulation extending the length of the piston, the pistonV rod and the rifle bar to prevent the absorbtion of heat by the water passing therethroughfrom the working spaces of the cylinder. Also to provide means for counterbalancing the weight oi? the drilll rods through the piston; to provide means Lfor cushioning an overstroke of the piston in either direction, which may occur through a suddenrelease of gas pressure inl the hole drilled, or through the drill' breaking through rock or shale into a pocket, and to provide a valve control gear whereby the stroke of the machine may be varied` at' will and the valve remain full open until thefpiston approaches Other objects of the invention will appearthrougliout the follow ingdescription and having reference tothe accompanying dra-wings in which Fig 1 is a vertical sectional view of my invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a. sectional view taken en the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the` cable suspension ofthe rods and'of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine taken on the line of Figure 1 showing the lower overstroke bumper.

Fig. fl! is an elevational view of the con trol valve mechanismv showing only the por-` tions of the machinev to which it is attached. Fig. 5-is a side view of the valve con-trol mechanism. v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the operating valve of the machine. 1

In the drawings like characters of reference yindica-te corresponding parts in .each figure. f

l "IhenumeralQl indicates" generally adrillay V111g machine having a cylinder block Q-'pr *vided with ported passages 3, 4, and 5, see

Figure 5, communicating with a valve chamber 6.V Extending from thecylinder block 2 are opposed lugs 7 b which the blockis secured to the weight referred to later.` 1

The numerals 8 and '9 indicate `a lower cylinder head and an upper cylinder head vertical side grooves 16 whichy are adapted to engage the guide rails, not shown, of the derrick in which the ymachine is tobe operated.` Opposing recesses 17 are formed in the upper portion offeach of the halves 14 and 15,"which form pockets for receiving 'the lugs 7 ofv the cylinderfblockA 2,. and bolts 18 are passed through the portions 14j: and 15, the recesses 17 and the lugs 7, thusjsecuring the several parts together. Immediately below'the lower end of the cylinder'block 2, the central portion of the weight block fis locks which,` will be cut away to definea Workingl space 19 and leaving a pair ofside members or 1`egs 20` which are provided intermediate their vertical length with lugs121, the lower portion of the legs being connected togetherbya cross member 22 having "a recessed circular opening 23. of a greater diameterthan any of the mach-incparts, such as the piston yor the drill chuck, that they may be withdrawn therethrough without' having recourse to separating the portions V14 andil.y ofy the weight block '1.3. lll'ounted transversely and abutting the lugs 21 is a flange 2Llhaving a. recessed circular opening 25 ol" similar di.- ameter to the opening 23.

The numeral 2G indicates a piston formed integrally 'with a piston rod 27 and having at it-s upper end a rifle bar 28 which is reduced at its upper extremity to cylindrical form as at 29 to serve as a tail rod for the piston. Housed within the upper head block Y l0 is a ratchet mcchanism() which engages the rifle bar 28 to impart rotation to the piston and its connected parts ou its upward movement, this ratchet mechanism is similar to that usually employed in drilling machines ol' this type. rlChe lower end of the piston rod 27is provided with an enlargement 3l forming a chuck for the reception of a drill head 32 to which in turn a tubular drill rod 33 is fitted. A gland 3,4: is fitted .about the cylindrical portion 29 of, the rilie bar 28 to prevent the passage of Huid to or romthe working spaces ot the cylinder.

The numeral 85 indicates a water inlet header mounted above Ythe gland 3st, which is provided with a flange connection 3G to which va water hose, not shown, is adapted to be connected. The upper end of the header is fitted ywith a glanded cover plate 37 through which a sleeve generally indicated by the numeral 88 is endwise movable.

The sleeve 38 Yis provided at its lower extremity with an open sided fitting 39 which is suitably secured tothe upper extremity of t-he cylindrical portion 29 of the rifle bar 28. The piston 26, the piston rod 27 and the rifle bar 28 are provided with an axial passage 40 which is lined with a sleeve 41 having a flange 42 at its lower end, see Figure l, which is housed in a recess 43 in the chuck 3l, wherein it is rendered watertight by suitable washers eet, the upper extremity of the sleeve projects into the fitting 39 and is' provided with a gland eli-5, see Figure 2, to render it watertight and to provide for such end wise movement of the sleeve as may be caused by expansion or contraction. Surrounding the sleeve Lll throughout the length of the piston, piston rod and rifle bar, is a covering 46 of insulating material which serves to prevent the lower temperature of the water flowing through the axial passage 40 from lcausing condensation within the working spaces of the cyflinder 2, when steam or air is used for reciprocating the piston. As a means for supporting/the weight of the drill rods connected to the'chuck l pass a short length of cable 47 through the sleeve 38, forming an enlargement at its lower end as; at 48 to intimately engage the sleeve for the purpose of rendering it watertight and to preventl its removal from the sleeve in an upward direction. Thislength of cable 47 enters a bearing housing which is generally indicated by the numeral all), the cable serving to provide for any reasonable unaligned strain which may occur between the drilling machine and the drill rod suspending cables. The bea-ring housing is titled with a heavy ball or other suitable bearing 50 which is provided with a bea-ring sleeve 5l having an axial' bore 52, the upper end ot lwhich is outwardly tapered as at 5? to receive a longitudinally divided thiinble 54;. The upper end of the cable is flared out and babbitted into the thimble as at to secure it against downward movement. rl`he maximum diameter of' the flared out portion ot the cable, which is-held within the thimble 54, is less than the internal diameter of the axial bore 52 of thesleeve 5l, so that it occasion should arise where it is desirable to disconnect the cable from the bearing housing 4:9, the housing is slightly lowered to permit the flared upper portion of the cable toproject upwardly through the sleeve, when the longitudinally divided thimble 54 is removed, thus permitting the cable to be withdrawn downwardly from the housing. Extending up wards 'from the'bearing housing is a pair of arms 56 between the upper ends of which a sheave 57 is 'journalled The numeral 58 indicates the bight of a cable 59 the ends of which are led over a head sheave and through a suitable tensioning Yor counterbalancing device and to a winding drinn, not shown, so that the weight carried by the piston is equally supported by the lengths of cable on opposite sides of the sheave. Secured within each of the openings 28 of th'elower cross member of the weight block 13, and in the opening 25 of the flange 24 is a. bumper generally indicated by the numeral 60, see Figures l and 3, which consists of a base 6l formed in two semi-circular portions so that they may be readily withdrawn from the openings to .permit the passage of the drill chuclr 3l or the piston 2G when desired. The bumper base Gl recessed as at G2 and is provided with a central aperture (3S- through which the piston 27 or the drill rod 33 is endwise movable and a cushion (il of rubber or other suitable material which is adapted to receive the impact from the chuck 3l or the drill head 32 :in the event of the piston travelling beyond a predetermined position from any cause. rlhe suspension of the machine from the head gear of the derrick is by a cable G5 attached at its outer end to a suitable drum and at its inner end to a ring G6 eX- tending from a semi-cylindrical saddle 67. Passing over thevends of the ,saddle is a pair of short cables 68, the ends of which are connected to a plurality of bolts 69 shown in dotted line in Figure l, which'pass vertically through the weight bloelr and are extends a short distance above the sleeve andprovided at their lower ends with fastening lll lit

nuts 70, between which and the block com,- pression. springs 71 are provided so to provide a resilient suipportfor the machine permitting it tov move slightly in an upward direction without slackening the suspension cables.r

The admission. of motive Huid to the cylinder is eilected through the valve chamber 6, see Figures 5 and. 6, Lto which an inlet pipe 72 is connected. The ported passage 3 leads from the lower side of the valve chamber 6 to the upper endet the cylinder, the ported passa-ge 5` leads from the valve chamber through. the cylinder block to a suitable eX- haust pipe, not shown, and thexported passage l leads from the upper side of the valve chamber to thek lower end of. the cylinder.

The numeral 73r indicates the valve which consists ofa roekifngly mountedv member having radial vanes 74, and 6. The vanes 74 are apertured to permit the flow of fluid therethrough and are so disposed as toA permit of an equalized pressure on oppositie sides thereof. The valve'73 is adapted to be' rocked betweentwo positions, one being as` sho-wn with` the vane 75 disposed to admit fluid through the ported passage Ll across the port 3, to the lower end of the cylinder andl the vane 76 being so disposed as to directthe flow from the upper portion of the cylinder from the ported passage 3 into the exhaust passage 5, the other position dlisposes the vane 76A between the entry to ported passages 5 and 3- and the vane 75 be.- twee-Ir the entry to the ported"y passage 4- and the inlet pipe 72. The valfve 73y is provided with a spindle 77 projecting through suitable glands in the ends o-f the valve chamber and is fitted-'with valveV levers 78 and 79; respectively, which are set atan angle to each other and' in such a. position that they alternately assume a substantially horizontal position.

The numeral 80 indicates a bracket `extending from the weight block .1S-of the machine, inl the outer end oity which transverse shaft 81 is suitably journalled. The shaft 8'1 is providedat its outer end with a sheave 82 by which it is adapted to be rotated by an endl ess `chain 83 extending' downwards to within convenient reach ortr the operator. Extending 'downwards and lengthwise cfl the machine is a pair of splinedv shafts 8l eachot which are journalledv i-n the bracket 8() and are fitted at their upper ends' with worm gears 85 which areL adapted to be rotated in opposite directions by' worms 86 upon the .shaft 81. 'llhe outer or lower end of each of the splinedl shafts is slidably engaged by a tl'ireaded sleeve 87 rotatably mounted in awtubular housing 88. rIhe housings 88 vare longitudinally slotted alongA their outer edges as at 89 and aresecured at their lower ends upon the crosshead 90' of av connecting rod 91. The connecting rodi 91 1s attached to theI outery end of the piston rod `27 bya band 92 whiehwis adapted to encircle the chuck enlargement.Bland to engageafperiplielal groove 93 therein, shownini dotted line in Figure 5, so as to permit the piston and chuck to rotate freely and talprevent endwise movement of the Achuck within the band.` `Atca point intermediate the chuck and thev connecting lodf91 la tubular guide 94 is formed integrally with the bandfwhich slidably vengages a guide rod 95 extend-ing upwards from the cross member` 22 of the weight block 13, .thus any tendency ofthe rotation of the piston to impart ay side or rotativefstra-in to the .band 92. and itsconnecting rod `9.1is prevented. Suitably mounted upon thetaeeofpthe weight block 13/ is" ai pair of slide. bars 96, which are disposed Vloutwardly of thetubular housings 88,' Slidably movable on eachof the guide bars are wedge blocks indicated generally bythe numerals 97 and 98, cachot whichcousists n of a threaded sleeve member 99lv engaged `by one of the threaded sleeves 87 having ay projecting lug 10() projecting through: the slot 89 of thet'ubular 'housing 88 and supporting a wedge member 101 having an inclined facee1102 anda vertical face5103; o The wedge blocks 97 and 98 are moved lengthwise of the sleeves 87 by the rotationof the shaft 81,

which through the wormv wheels 85, the

worms 86 and the sph-ned shafts 84 impart similar rotation to the sleeves 87,-th`us causing the wedgebl-ocks .tomove lengthwise of the threads along r`the sleeves; u Since `,the

shafts 84s rot-ate in opposite directions, it will be understood'that as the shaft 81 is-ro` tated,fthefwedge blocks 97 and 98 are also caused toy approach oi` recede `from each other; As the piston 26 is moved in-a downward direction, the wedge blocks 97 and'98 are carried downwardsA along their slides 96 untilI the blocky 97`is brought into contact with the outer end ofthe lever 78 of the valve- 73, which, as the wedge blocktcon- -tinues io move, slides along the inclined face'102 thus rocking the valve a suricient distance to reverse theA flow ot 'moti-ve Huid into the cylinder andl to start the piston in Vits return or upward stroke. Near-theend 0l the upward stroke of the piston, i' the wed-'ge` block 9811s brought into `contact with thelever 791 swinging it toireverse the valve blocks towards or away from 'each other-audV 130 i thatk the valve will remain ulll openI from i lim the commencement of each stroke until the valve is struc-k by the approaching wedge block as the piston approaches;4 so that the full force ot motive fluid will be applied to the piston throughout its stroke irrespective o'l'l the lengt-h of such stroke.

In the event of the drill breaking through a structure into a pocket, so thatv the resistance to its downward movement is suddenly removed and an 'overstroke ot the piston takes place, the chuck 31 will strike the rubber cushion ot the bottom lnnnper, and in case oit a sudden release of gzs pressure in the hole causing an overstroke of the piston in an upward direction, the chuck 3l will strike the rubber cushion of the upper bumper, thus preventing any damage occurring ltothe machine while the reactions from such overstroke will be received by the weighted block 13, which as previously described is resilient-ly supported from themaehine cable 65 upon compression springs 7l at the lower end of the .bolt-s 69. The weight et the drill rods being suspended by means et the cable 59 passing about the sheave 57, relieves the machine ot' all unbalanced loading so that great fuel economy is effected in its operation. The provision of the bearing 50 between the sheave 57 and the sleeve 3S, attached to the upper end oi' the rifle bar E28, pci-nuts the piston and its associated parts to berotated by the ratchet mechanism of the drilling machine.

W hat I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a rock drilling machine having a cylinder, a, piston and a piston rod to which a drill rod is adapted 'to be connected, and means extending upwards through the cylinder adapted for attachment to a counterbalancing device to support the weight of the drill rod.

2. The combination with a rock drilling machine having a cylinder, having upper and lower hea-ds, a piston having a piston rod at one end to which a drill rod is adapted to be connected and a rifle bar at the other end, a sleeve connected to the outer end of the rifle bar extending beyond the upper head and a cable carried by the sleeve 'for attachment to a counterbalancing device for supporting the weight of the drill rod.

.3. In a rock drilling machine having a cylinder and cylinder heads, an endwise movable and rotatable piston, a piston rod at one end to which a drill rod is adapted to be connected, a tail rod for the piston, n' vans connected to the tail rod and extending through one of the cylinder heads comprising a sleeve having a lleXible core and a swivel joint to which a counterbalancing device tor supporting the drill rods is adapted to be attached.

4. In a rock drilling machine having a cylinder with upper and lower cylinder heads, al piston therein and having a piston rod at one end to which a d rill. rod is adapted to be connected and a tail rod extending through the upper head, of means lor connecting the tail rod to a counterbalamring device l'or supporting the weight oi. the drill rod, said connecting means comprising a. sleeve secured to the tail rod and having a length ot cable secured to the sleeve at one end and to a swivel bearing at the other, said connection to the bearing being characterized by an enlargement on the cable housed in a split--thimble carrieifl. in the bearing whereby the cable may be withdrawn by the removal o't the split thimble, said bearingbeing connected to the counterbalancing device. f

5. In a. rock drilling machine having a reriprocatony7 piston to which a drill rod is adapted to be connected, and-means rfor susi'iending` the drill rods from a counterlnilaming device comprising means extemling upwards from the piston through the top of jthe machine, a rotatable bearing upon said means, a housing lor the bearing and a sheave adapted to be carried in the bi ght ol a cable extending fronrthe Vcoinlterbalancing device. i

6. The combination with a rock drilling machine having a. cylinder, a piston adapted to be reciprocated by fluid pressure, ot a rocking valve having opposed actuating levers for adn'iitting-the fluid pressure to opposite ends of the piston, a pair of threaded members reciprocable by the piston carrying wedge blocks adapted to engage the levers at oposite ends ofthe piston stroke to reverse the [low of fluid pressure to the pistons, and means for moving the wedge blocks in opposite directions along the threaded members,said means comprising a pair of splined shafts upon which the threaded members have sliding movement and a transverse sha'jt geared to the splined sha'lts, and means for imparting` rotation to the transverse sha'lt.

7. 4The combination with a rock drilling machine having a cylinder, a piston, a piston rod, a drill rod, and a chuck connecting the drill rod to the outer end ot the piston rod, of a transverse member supported Afrom the cylinder beyond the outer end of the piston stroke, cushioning means carried by the member, and means upon the piston for engaging the cushion Von an overstroke olf the piston, said cushioning means comprising a transverse member havinga central aperture through which the piston rod is adapted to move, a pair of semi-circular base portions detaehably carried in said aperture and a resilient member carried upon each o'l said Vbase portions adapted to receive the impact ot the chuck.

8. The comliination with a vertically movable weighted block and a rock drilling machine concentrically housed within said weighted block and movable vertically therewith, and cables for supporting ksaid drilling machine and advancing same downwardly toward its work, of a pair of rods extending lengthwise through the block adapted to be connected at their upper ends to the cable supporting means and to be fitted with coil Y springs at their lower ends, which springs abut the block whereby the machine and-its weight s resliently supported at its base.

Datedat Vancouver, B. C., 'this 10th day of February, 1927. f

JOHN JAMES GRANT. 

